The Best and Worst Paying Cities for Nurses

Looking for guaranteed employment in the next few years? Become a nurse.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of positions for registered nurses is expected to increase by 15 percent from 2016 to 2026, representing a job outlook that is significantly better than the average for this time frame. In 2017, the total employment of registered nurses nationwide was 2,906,840, nearly one percent of the U.S. population, and is expected to reach 3,393,200 by 2026.

Demographic and social trends are contributing to the rise of the nursing profession. The combination of an aging population, retiring Baby Boomers, emphasis on preventive care, and increased life expectancy has led to an increased demand for nursing services, as well as home aides and other healthcare service professionals. As the specific demand for residential care facilities increases, nurses will need to be available around-the-clock.

On a national level, nurses are well compensated for their work. In 2017, the median pay for nurses was $70,000 per year, compared to $37,690 for all occupations. The current salary range for nurses is generally $50,000-$139,000, depending on factors like experience, education, and location.

Although nurses provide similar services nationwide and work similar shifts, wages are not evenly distributed across the country. Some cities offer better wages for nurses than others.

To determine which cities offer the highest and lowest salaries for nurses, LiveCareer, an online resume builder, analyzed salary, employment, and cost-of-living data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. For a fair comparison, the cities were ranked by “adjusted median salary,” which accounts for regional price parity and takes into account the cost of living in each urban area.

Most of the best paying cities are in the West, with 9 of the top 15 in California. Those cities also have the highest unadjusted salaries as well. Conversely, cities in Florida and Utah account for 8 of the bottom 15 metropolitan areas and have some of the lowest unadjusted salaries. Cities in the Northeast and Midwest are scattered throughout the list. Here are the best and worst paying cities for nurses.

The Best Paying Cities for Nurses

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1. Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $118,147

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $120,510

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $41,910

Total number of nurses: 18,240

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2. Stockton-Lodi, CA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $111,747

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $111,300

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $35,880

Total number of nurses: 4,270

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3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $109,371

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $139,010

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $57,540

Total number of nurses: 15,990

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4. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $103,665

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $129,270

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $51,750

Total number of nurses: 35,480

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5. Fresno, CA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $94,258

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $90,770

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $32,860

Total number of nurses: 7,560

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6. Bakersfield, CA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $93,971

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $90,870

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $33,940

Total number of nurses: 5,340

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7. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $90,472

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $92,010

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $42,460

Total number of nurses: 22,500

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8. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $89,376

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $87,410

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $34,400

Total number of nurses: 15,620

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9. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $88,547

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $95,100

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $35,480

Total number of nurses: 27,720

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10. Urban Honolulu, HI

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $84,341

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $104,920

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $42,880

Total number of nurses: 8,480

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11. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $83,124

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $70,240

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $25,600

Total number of nurses: 5,500

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12. San Diego-Carlsbad, CA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $80,980

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $94,180

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $41,920

Total number of nurses: 23,100

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13. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $80,674

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $82,530

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $44,220

Total number of nurses: 39,290

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14. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $80,008

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $94,170

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $39,800

Total number of nurses: 102,330

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15. Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $78,947

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $87,710

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $50,250

Total number of nurses: 60,260

The Worst Paying Cities for Nurses

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1. Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $59,822

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $57,070

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $29,560

Total number of nurses: 4,260

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2. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $60,790

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $65,410

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $34,670

Total number of nurses: 54,350

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3. Wichita, KS

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $61,109

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $55,120

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $34,900

Total number of nurses: 6,220

Photo Credit: Jason Kolenda / Alamy Stock Photo

4. Provo-Orem, UT

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $61,849

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $59,870

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $33,430

Total number of nurses: 3,530

Photo Credit: Sean Pavone / Alamy Stock Photo

5. Baton Rouge, LA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $62,538

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $58,160

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $35,550

Total number of nurses: 7,780

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6. Jacksonville, FL

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $62,724

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $60,090

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $34,910

Total number of nurses: 13,750

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7. Chattanooga, TN-GA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $62,923

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $56,190

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $33,350

Total number of nurses: 5,670

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8. Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $63,026

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $59,560

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $40,020

Total number of nurses: 7,310

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9. Ogden-Clearfield, UT

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $63,312

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $60,210

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $35,290

Total number of nurses: 3,140

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10. Salt Lake City, UT

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $63,410

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $63,030

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $37,840

Total number of nurses: 11,150

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11. Knoxville, TN

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $63,469

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $56,170

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $33,460

Total number of nurses: 7,370

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12. North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $63,667

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $63,030

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $32,690

Total number of nurses: 6,730

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13. Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $63,681

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $59,160

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $31,840

Total number of nurses: 3,930

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14. Scranton–Wilkes-Barre–Hazleton, PA

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $63,814

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $58,900

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $34,090

Total number of nurses: 5,970

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15. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC

Nursing median salary (adjusted): $63,820

Nursing median salary (unadjusted): $62,480

All occupations median salary (unadjusted): $37,220

Total number of nurses: 13,490

Methodology & Full Results

Salary and employment numbers are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics May 2017 (released on March 30th, 2018). The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) is conducted semiannually and collects data on wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments for about 800 occupations. Data from self-employed persons are not collected and are not included in the estimates.

For each metropolitan area: Nursing median salary (unadjusted) is the annual median wage for registered nurses provided by OES; All occupations median salary (unadjusted) is the annual median wage across all occupations provided by OES; Total number of nurses is the estimated total employment of registered nurses rounded to the nearest 10, also provided by OES.

To compute the cost-of-living adjusted Nursing median salary (adjusted), the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2016 (updated on May 17th, 2018) was used. The adjusted median salary for each metro was calculated by dividing the unadjusted salary by its price parity. Only the largest 100 metropolitan areas by population were included in the analysis. The metros are ordered by their adjusted median salary for nurses.

If you are considering nursing as a career path, registered nurses usually obtain a B.S. in nursing (BSN) or an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN). All registered nurses must be licensed. For tips on applying to nursing jobs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics offers a number of helpful resources. Additionally, you can find nursing resume templates on LiveCareer.